If ICT is to successfully contribute to the overall raising of standards during the primary phase it is vital to introduce children to ICT as early as possible. ICT surrounds young children, and the early years setting can play an important role in enabling children to begin to understand the relevance of ICT to themselves and to the wider community. The foundation stage curriculum states:
"Children should find out about and identify the uses of everyday technology and use information and communications technology and programmable toys to support their learning."
The curriculum offers various approaches which early years’ practitioners can use to introduce young children to ICT. For example, they can:
· provide opportunities for the use of ICT to develop skills across all areas of learning;
· encourage children to observe and talk about the use of ICT in the environment
· encourage children to show each other how to use ICT equipment.
There are many products, including toys, that incorporate some aspect of ICT. For example:
activity centres, musical keyboards, telephones, tape recorders, programmable toys, radio-controlled toys, talking toys, video recorders, remote controls for audio-visual aids (such as TV and CD players), bar code scanners, traffic lights.
There are also everyday uses of ICT such as telephones, fax machines, television and personal computers (for accessing a variety of software and CD packages as well as electronic mail and the Internet).
Computer programs are available that can help young children develop their literacy, numeracy, creativity and their knowledge and understanding of the world. Different activities can foster their independent learning as well as their social skills.
There are programs which can enhance learning and understanding of numbers, counting, the alphabet, graphics, spelling, painting, shapes, matching, patterns, reading and stories. Some programs may incorporate these activities and also develop keyboard skills, spatial awareness and hand/eye co-ordination.
Hardware devices such as floor robots and other programmable toys can be of great motivational value to children at this early age. As well as helping young children to develop spatial awareness, these devices can also assist in the development of number, distance, angle of turn and estimation skills. They also require precise instructions in order to work properly and so children are encouraged to plan together and to think logically and sequentially.
Children should experience different input options to computers such as a trackerball, mouse, joystick, switch, a standard keyboard, overlay keyboard and touch-screen. Similarly they should also experience a range of different output devices such as screens, speakers, printers and floor robots.